A conventional glass-ceramic cook top has several electric heating units mounted below a glass-ceramic cooking plate. The cook top also has a circuit board to control the electric heating units. The circuit board is typically located below the glass-ceramic cooking plate. Most components on the circuit board, especially semiconductor components, are sensitive to high temperatures and must be kept below a maximum temperature to operate properly. Commonly used semiconductor components for cook tops are triacs and/or silicon-controlled rectifiers (SCRs). Triacs and SCRs are semiconductor devices that function as electrically controlled switches.
To cool sensitive components such as triacs and SCRs on the circuit board, conventional cook tops typically have a housing unit with a fan. The circuit board is retained in the housing unit. The fan is mounted to an opening in the housing unit to circulate air and to cool components on the circuit board. Although the fan will assist in cooling the circuit board and its components, there is a continuing need for more efficient and direct cooling means. For example, triacs come in different types and sizes. Conventional cook tops use triacs with relatively high maximum temperatures. Triacs with high maximum temperatures are expensive. Triacs are one of the most expensive components on the circuit board. Thus, a better cooling device would enable the use of lower cost triacs thereby reducing the overall cost of the circuit board.
Moreover, relying solely on a fan mounted to the housing unit provides certain limitations on a user when the user needs to replace a failed circuit board. The size and type of cooling fan is selected based on the size and type of circuit board. If a replacement circuit board has additional or different types of components, the fan on the housing unit may be inadequate for the replacement circuit board. Thus, a further need exists for a cooling device capable of being attached to the circuit board.
The present invention is directed to overcoming, or at least reducing the effects of, one or more of the problems set forth above.